Kruze consulting Blog

Accounting, Finance, HR and Tax for Startups


Hi! I'm Vanessa Kruze, CPA and I founded Kruze Consulting in 2012. Our firm handles all things Accounting, Finance, HR and Tax for over 800 startups. Follow Kruze Consulting on Twitter to keep up with all of our blog posts, videos and podcasts.

Understanding Major Investor Rights: A Guide for VC-Backed Startups

Understanding Major Investor Rights: A Guide for VC-Backed Startups
Posted on Sun, 24 March 2024

For venture capital-backed startups, navigating the complex landscape of investor rights is crucial, particularly when larger investors are demanding that they get special rights - called “major investor rights.” These rights not only protect the investors’ interests but also shape the relationship between startups and their financial backers.

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What is a Secondary Stock Transaction?

What is a Secondary Stock Transaction?
Posted on Wed, 20 March 2024

Kruze Consulting COO, Scott Orn, explains everything you need to know about secondary stock transactions and why VC firms are buying founder shares.

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Should you cap commissions?

Should you cap commissions?
Posted on Sun, 17 March 2024

A question we get frequently from startup founders is should they cap commissions for their sales team? The reason they ask this question is because they get the financials we prepare at Kruze, and they are startled that the VP of Sales or a top salesperson is making more money than anyone else in the company.

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Should founders accrue payroll before VC funding?

Should founders accrue payroll before VC funding?
Posted on Sun, 10 March 2024

This particular scenario has happened in startups. You’ve started a company. You were used to getting a regular paycheck at your previous job, but right now there’s no money to pay yourself, but hopefully there will when you get funded. And at that point, you feel that you could “reimburse” yourself for all the paychecks you missed.

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What are SG&A expenses?

What are SG&A expenses?
Posted on Sun, 3 March 2024

Founders will hear the term “SG&A expenses” thrown around in board meetings a lot. SG&A stands for selling, general, and administrative expenses. One way to think of SG&A expenses is that it’s the cost of running your company.

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What is Founder Preferred Stock?

What is Founder Preferred Stock?
Posted on Sun, 25 February 2024

Founder preferred stock is a pretty new thing in the startup game. Historically, founders would always get common stock, usually in the form of founder shares that they received early on.

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What Are Capital Expenditures for Startups?

What Are Capital Expenditures for Startups?
Posted on Sun, 18 February 2024

Capital expenditures, otherwise known as CAPEX, are mentioned in startup board meetings all the time. It’s definitely a fundamental term to understand when dealing with startup accounting.

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Brex vs Ramp - Which card is best for startups?

Brex vs Ramp -  Which card is best for startups?
Posted on Wed, 14 February 2024

Our CPA team compares Brex and Ramp. Which offers the best card for startups? We look at points, expense management features and more.

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When Fundraising Should You Practice With Less Desirable VCs?

When Fundraising Should You Practice With Less Desirable VCs?
Posted on Sun, 11 February 2024

A piece of advice that we hear being given out a lot in the startup world is that, when your startup is fundraising, you should fine-tune your pitch by approaching less desirable or non-target venture capitalists first.

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Are Term Sheets Legally Binding?

Are Term Sheets Legally Binding?
Posted on Sun, 4 February 2024

Term sheets can be a little bit of a gray area in the venture capital/startup world since certain elements, such as the confidentiality agreement, are legally binding.

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Downround Guide: Understanding, Mitigating, and Navigating

Downround Guide: Understanding, Mitigating, and Navigating
Posted on Wed, 31 January 2024

Downrounds are happening and more as the startup ecosystem is grapples with the aftermath of the 2021 VC bubble and a depressed tech stock market. Here is a practical guide on how to deal with one.

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Top 11 Venture Capital Pitch Decks

Top 11 Venture Capital Pitch Decks
Posted on Tue, 30 January 2024

We’ve helped clients raise over $15 billion in VC funding - here are some of the best pitch deck templates on the internet right now, plus links to two free templates you can get for free.

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New R&D Tax Legislation: What Startups and VCs need to know

New R&D Tax Legislation: What Startups and VCs need to know
Posted on Tue, 23 January 2024

Congress is working on a tax package (called the Smith/Wyden tax package) that could revive key tax provisions, including the deductibility of research and development expenses.

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Why Revenue Visibility Matters for Startups

Why Revenue Visibility Matters for Startups
Posted on Sun, 21 January 2024

We always encourage revenue visibility to startup founders and it matters for a couple of big reasons, both inside and outside of the company.

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What Startup's Accounts on the Balance Sheet Need to be Reconciled

What Startup's Accounts on the Balance Sheet Need to be Reconciled
Posted on Mon, 15 January 2024

The punch line here is that every single account on the balance sheet needs to be reconciled, not just the bank and the credit cards.

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✨ AI-driven question and answer tool with Kruze's Extensive Startup Accounting And Finance Knowledge Base
This is an experiential tool. Do not rely on these responses, always consult with your CPA, tax advisor, accountant or lawyer.

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